This week's hurricane which has caused extensive damage in Cuba has been of particular concern to officials of Hercules Wimbledon, writes Tom Pollack.

This is because a party of 21 athletes and officials from the club are due to fly out from London's Heathrow Airport next Wednesday on a nine-day trip to the island.

Apart from the clear cultural experience they will enjoy, they are there for some serious running, to compete in a couple of road races a Peace Run over four miles and a half-marathon in the Cuban capital, Havana.

It is the third trip Hercules Wimbledon official Maurice Sharp has organised to Cuba and he points out that hurricanes are nothing new to him.

"We had a hurricane there two years ago and then all the races had to be held on one day instead of two," said Sharp.

However, while he was relieved to hear that Hurricane Michelle had moved north and was blowing itself out over Florida, the weather was not his main concern.

That concern comes in the wake of this week's collapse of the Belgian national airline, Sabena due to the dramatic fall in the number of people flying following the events of September 11.

Solvent

Sharp was anxious that Air France, the French national airline on which the party is booked, remains solvent and its aircraft continue flying at least until November 23 when the Hercules Wimbledon representatives are returning from their adventure.

This trip to Cuba is the latest in a series of foreign excursions organised by Mr Sharp on behalf of Hercules Wimbledon and the Merton High Schools Association over several years.

Other trips have been to France, Belgium, Norway, Poland and the former Czechoslavakia.

Hercules Wimbledon have themselves also hosted several international club matches in London involving teams from many European countries.

November 12, 2001 12:00